This invention relates to a new compound having fungicidal activity.
In one aspect, the invention provides the compound, dimethyl-[3-(propoxycarbonylamino)propyl]ammonium O-ethylphosphonate, having the structure 
The compound of the invention has activity as a fungicide, especially against Phycomycete diseases of plants, e.g. vine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), various Phytophthora blights e.g. late tomato or potato blight (Phytophthora infestans), Pythium spp., Aphanomyces spp., Bremia spp., Perenospora spp. and Pseudoperenospora spp.
The invention thus also provides a method of combating fungi at a locus infested or liable to be infested therewith, which comprises applying to the locus the compound of formula I.
The invention also provides an agricultural composition comprising the compound of formula I in admixture with an agriculturally acceptable diluent or carrier.
The composition can comprise one or more additional active ingredients, for example compounds known to possess plant-growth regulant, herbicidal, fungicidal, insecticidal or acaricidal properties. Alternatively the compound of the invention can be used in sequence with the other active ingredient.
Fungicides with which the compound can be mixed include acylanilines, such as metalaxyl, oxadixyl, ofurace, benalaxyl and furalaxyl; cymoxanil; mancozeb; chlorothalonil; folpet; captan; famoxadone; fenamidone; spiroxamine; fluazinam; dimethomorph; strobilurins, such as kresoxim-methyl, azoxystrobin and trifloxystrobin, pyrimethanil, cyprodinil; mepanipyrim; and iprodione.
The names quoted for these compounds are the non-proprietary common names and the chemical structure can be found for example by reference to the xe2x80x9cPesticide Manualxe2x80x9d, eleventh edition, 1997, published by the British Crop Protection Council. Of the compounds whose common names are not mentioned in the Pesticide Manual the full chemical names are as follows:
trifloxystrobinxe2x80x94methyl (E,E)-methoxyimino-{2-[1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-ethylideneaminooxymethyl]phenyl}acetate
spiroxaminexe2x80x948-tert-butyl-1,4-dioxaspiro[4.5]decan-2-ylmethyl(ethyl)-(propyl)amine
fenamidonexe2x80x94(S)-1-anilino-4-methyl-2-methylthio-4-phenylimidazolin-5-one
The composition of the invention may include for example a dispersing agent, emulsifying agent or wetting agent. Usually they are in the form of an aqueous concentrate.
The concentration of the active ingredient in the composition of the present invention, as applied to plants is preferably within the range of 0.0001 to 1.0 percent by weight, especially 0.0001 to 0.01 percent by weight. In a primary composition, the amount of active ingredient can vary widely and can be, for example, from 5 to 95 percent by weight of the composition.
In the method of the invention the compound is generally applied to seeds, plants or their habitat. Thus, the compound can be applied directly to the soil before, at or after drilling so that the presence of active compound in the soil can control the growth of fungi which may attack seeds. When the soil is treated directly the active compound can be applied in any manner which allows it to be intimately mixed with the soil such as by spraying, by broadcasting a solid form of granules, or by applying the active ingredient at the same time as drilling by inserting it in the same drill as the seeds. A suitable application rate is within the range of from 5 to 1000 g per hectare, more preferably from 10 to 500 g per hectare.
Alternatively the active compound can be applied directly to the plant by, for example, spraying or dusting either at the time when the fungus has begun to appear on the plant or before the appearance of fungus as a protective measure. In both such cases the preferred mode of application is by foliar spraying. It is generally important to obtain good control of fungi in the early stages of plant growth as this is the time when the plant can be most severely damaged. The spray or dust can conveniently contain a pre- or post-emergence herbicide if this is thought necessary. Sometimes, it is practicable to treat the roots of a plant before or during planting, for example, by dipping the roots in a suitable liquid or solid composition. When the active compound is applied directly to the plant a suitable rate of application is from 0.025 to 5 kg per hectare, preferably from 0.05 to 1 kg per hectare.
The compounds of formula I may be obtained by reacting an amine of formula II 
with ethyl hydrogen phosphonate.
This reaction can be carried out in aqueous solution